Madill High School football history contains a myriad of people that have perpetuated the lasting legacy of the Madill Wildcats. However, Coach Blake Smiley spent two decades (fall of 1973 to fall of 1992 seasons) roaming the sidelines as Madill's head football coach influencing players and impacting lives. Madill Schools announces that it will honor the Oklahoma Coaches Hall of Fame (1994 inductee) coach Smiley by naming the current football stadium at Alumni Field after him in a ceremony prior to the Madill-Ada football game Sept. 11 this season.

"He is the definition of what a coach is to me," Madill athletics director Bink Stafford said Monday. Stafford played for Smiley and worked in the USFL for the Outlaws organization.

A public reception takes place at 6 p.m. on Sept. 11 at the Wildcat Cage (formerly armory) to honor Coach Smiley along with his family. Former players, assistant coaches, administrators and students are invited to attend the evening's festivities.

"Coach Smiley and his wife Linda are two of the finest people you will ever meet. He was a mentor to me and I learned a lot from him. Hard work, discipline, and TEAM were core values he taught me and his players. It is an honor to call Coach Smiley a friend as I still get to visit with him at almost every state track meet. I applaud Madill Public Schools for honoring Coach Smiley, a man who has dedicated his entire adult life to students and the community, with the naming of the Stadium after him," Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association Executive Director Ed Sheakley said of Coach Smiley via email.

"I am honored and humbled," Coach Smiley said.

He said he wanted to thank the school board, superintendent Jon Tuck and athletics director Bink Stafford for their work in getting this approved and accomplished.

Under Smiley's leadership, the Wildcats earned eight district championships and won 125 games. The 1990 team accomplished an undefeated regular season for the first time in 48 campaigns.

"Coach Smiley was a true mentor and motivator," former Madill quarterback of the 1990 squad Shannon Poppe said. "He cared about us on and off the field. He wanted us to become real men in life. It wasn't all about football."

"He had a great sense of the team and the players. He knew all the players," Poppe said.

Poppe also said Coach Smiley knew how to handle every situation the right way. Poppe said any time he visits his alma mater for sporting events such as a track meet, he makes it a point to see Coach Smiley.

"This (stadium naming) is about Coach Smiley," Poppe said. "He is a great man."

"I learned a lot from Coach Smiley that I have carried over into my Coaching career, just how calm he stayed in situations no matter what was at stake. The game that best describes this is back in 1988 when we defeated Idabel when they were #1 in the State," Gil Baber said about Smiley. "Coach Smiley called a great game and helped lead us to that victory. It was definitely the greatest moment in my high school career. I can't think of a better or more deserving man to have the Madill High School Football field named after. To this day I am always running into people who when they find out I am from Madill say, "You must have played for Blake Smiley." He also always remembers his players and constantly asks my parents about me and how I am doing. He truly is a great coach and maybe even a better man."

Baber was the 'Cats' quarterback in the 1988 season and now serves as athletics coordinator at Bryan Adams High School in Dallas.

"He (Coach Smiley) is a legend to me," current Madill head coach of football Milton Cooper said Monday afternoon.

Smiley said he enjoyed his time at Madill and would do things exactly the same if he had the opportunity.

Coach Smiley will serve as the honorary captain the night of the event and a decree from the school board is to be presented.

The stadium will be named for Smiley and the name of the field playing surface will remain Alumni Field.

Madill High School teacher Lori Hartin has been announced as one of 12 finalists for the state of Oklahoma Teacher of the Year award to be presented August 25 at the state fairgrounds in Oklahoma City.

Hartin teaches English for high school juniors, speech and is the sponsor for the MHS National Honor Society chapter.

"I am so humbled to be a top 12 finalist for the 2016 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year," Hartin said Friday afternoon via social media. "Every teacher in the top 12 is enthusiastic, professional, and passionate about education and I am so proud to be a part of this group of amazing teachers."

She earned the Madill Schools teacher of the year award in May by a vote of her peers. Now she is being recognized at the state level.

"It is an honor to represent my students, my school district, and the community of Madill. I am thrilled at this opportunity to tell everyone how special Madill's students are and I look forward to what this school year will bring," Hartin said. "Thank you so much for all the help and support that I have received from so many."

Two of her speech students, Becca Pugh and Blake Gambel, received a state of Oklahoma award for the arts in April. Pugh and Gambel graduated MHS in May. The speech team tied for third place in sweepstakes at the regional in Muldrow in March. Pugh and Roxy Avila placed at the state speech competition in April. Joanna Tuck also teaches speech for MHS students.

Hartin's work as a National Honor Society sponsor has helped raise money for efforts to eliminate domestic abuse, focused awareness of anti-bullying campaigns such as Rachel's Challenge and has had nationally renowned public figures as keynote speakers locally for various events at the high school.

An adjustment will be made to the current Madill High School 2015 fast-pitch softball schedule. The Calera tournament is to be played August 13-15. The game at Lone Grove is scheduled August 17. District playoffs are scheduled for Oct. 1-2. The regional tournament is Oct. 8-10. State is slated for Oct. 15-17.

Madill High School principal Andy Gower has accepted the superintendent's job at Konawa Public Schools . Also, the Madill School Board approved the hiring of Jason Wilkerson as its next boys basketball head coach and Cale Eidson as cross country head coach tonight (June 8) at a regular meeting. Shawn Runyan moves into the role of head basketball coach for the girls. Randy Rushing returns as the fast-pitch softball coach and JW Parsons becomes the golf coach.

Eidson has taught and coached for a year before arriving at Madill. Wilkerson served as the Durant boys basketball head coach for the previous four years before coming to MHS. He played basketball at ECU in Ada and was inducted into its hall of fame in 2013.